This article may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (August 2008)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008)

Contents 1 Common themes and tropes 1.1 Cosmology 1.2 History 1.3 Military 1.4 Alternative societies[8] 1.5 Political structures[8] 1.6 Body and mind alterations 1.7 Possible futures 1.8 Habitats 1.9 Travel 1.10 High Technologies[14] 1.11 Types of beings 2 References

Science fiction is a broad genre of fiction that often involves speculations based on current or future science or technology. Science fiction is found in books, art, television, films, games, theatre, and other media. In organizational or marketing contexts, science fiction can be synonymous with the broader definition of speculative fiction, encompassing creative works incorporating imaginative elements not found in contemporary reality; this includes fantasy, horror, and related genres.^[1]

Science fiction differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically established or scientifically postulated laws of nature (though some elements in a story might still be pure imaginative speculation). Exploring the consequences of such differences is the traditional purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas". Many Science fiction media types are multi-generic, including aspects of other genres for example; action, adventure, horror ect.^[2] Science fiction is largely based on writing entertainingly and rationally about alternate possibilities^[3] in settings that are contrary to known reality.

These may include:

• A setting in the future, in alternative time lines, or in a historical past that contradicts known facts of history or the archeological record
• A setting in outer space, on other worlds, or involving aliens^[4]
• Stories that involve technology or scientific principles that contradict known laws of nature^[5]
• Stories that involve discovery or application of new scientific principles, such as time travel or psionics, or new technology, such as nanotechnology, faster-than-light travel or robots, or of new and different political or social systems^[6]

This article lists themes noted by critical commentators as being common to SF, and motifs that are often included in science fiction works.

[edit] Common themes and tropes

[edit] Cosmology

• The future
• Parallel universes^[7]

[edit] History

• Alternate history^[7]
• Scientific prediction of the future (e.g. psychohistory)^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Military

• Military - strategy, weapons, ranks, technologies.
  • Space warfare
  • Alien invasion

[edit] Alternative societies^[8]

• Religion and Religious ideas in science fiction
• Sex in science fiction^[9]
  • Homosexuality in science fiction
• Gender in science fiction^[9]
  • Reproduction and pregnancy in science fiction
• Astrobiology^{[citation needed]}
• First contact
• Alien languages (e.g. Klingon)

[edit] Political structures^[8]

• Dystopias and utopia^[10]
• Galactic empires
• Libertarianism

• Mind reading and mind control
• World government in science fiction
• Post-"Age of Scarcity" (arguments over how to distribute resources are irrelevant since anyone can have anything they reasonably want).^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Body and mind alterations

• Bio-implants
  • Body modification, including genetic modification
  • Bionics
  • Cybernetics
• Intelligence amplification
• Invisibility^{[citation needed]}
  • Artificial organs
  • Cloning
  • Cryonics
  • Mind uploading
• Molecular manufacturing & Nanotechnology
• Psi powers and psychic phenomenon
  • Clairvoyance
  • Telepathy
  • Telekinesis
• Paradise engineering
• Resizing
• Shapeshifting
• Teleportation

[edit] Possible futures

• Apocalypses or world wide disasters
• Posthumanism
• Ultimate fate of the Universe & Kardashev scale

[edit] Habitats

• Domed city^{[citation needed][11]}
• Floating City
• Space colonization
  • Terraforming
• Underground city^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Travel

• Colonization of other planets, moons, asteroids, etc.
  • Terraforming
• Space exploration^[12]
  • Interstellar travel
    • Faster-than-light travel and communications
      • Hyperspace
      • Warp drives
      • Wormholes
      • Ansibles
  • Much slower than Light
    • Generation ship
    • Sleeper ship
  • Space stations
• Time travel^[13]
  • The Grandfather paradox
• Travel to the Earth's center
• Planets in science fiction

[edit] High Technologies^[14]

• Artificial gravity
• Artificial intelligence
• Singularity
• Star lifting & Stellar engineering
• Megascale engineering & Planetary engineering
• Virtual reality and simulated reality
• Weapons, eg. Ray guns

[edit] Types of beings

[edit] References

v • d • e Science fiction Media Anime and manga · Comics · Films (list) · Magazines · Novels (list) · Opera · Television (list · sitcoms) · Video games Creators Artists (list) · Authors · Editors Subgenres Hard · Soft · Alternate history · Apocalyptic · Christian · Comedy · Cyberpunk (derivatives) · Dying Earth · Feminist · Human society · Military · Planetary romance · Space opera · Sword and planet · Tech-noir · Western (Space) Related genres Fantasy (Science fantasy) · Mystery · Horror · Speculative (Weird) · Superhero Themes Artificial intelligence · Extraterrestrials (First contact) · Floating city · Lost World · Planets · Politics (Utopia/Dystopia · World government) · Religion (Ideas) · Resizing · Sex (Homosexuality · Gender · Reproduction) · Simulated realities/Virtual worlds · Space warfare (Weapons) · Superpowers · Timeline (Alternate future · Future history · Hyperspace · Parallel universes · Slipstream · Time travel) Subculture Fandom: Conventions (list) · Organizations · by Nationality Studies: Definitions · History · New Wave · Journals · Awards by Country Australia · Canada · China · Croatia · Czech Republic · France · Japan · Norway · Poland · Romania · Russia/Soviet Union · Serbia